Universal die implement



April A21. 1942 J. A. HAGERsTRoM E-rAL UNIVERSAL DIE IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 11, 1940 casale. ggg;

ai" WI Patented Apr. 21, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL DIE DVIPLEMENT John A. Hagerstrom, Cranford, and John F. Hagerstrcm, Elizabeth, N. J.

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an implement for therewith die punching holes of a large variety and sizes through materials. Its principal objects are to affect readiness and convenience in this type of work, increased speed of production, enhanced accuracy, and improved products, as well as improved means for disassembling the universal complementary die plate and punch-guiding plate of the implement, for reconditioning them.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the implement constituting the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the implement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the implement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing details of the implement.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, showing a detail of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view showing a detail of the invention.

The implement has a base I with a pair of recesses 2 for bolting it to any bench, table, or punch press, and on said base is formed a post 3 having a bore 4. A rest 5 is formed on said base opposite to the post 3 having a punch clearance hole 6 with a receiving pocket I thereunder for the punched out parts, the top of rest 5 being level with that of the post 3, and a web 8 joining said rest and post together with the base I for strengthening the structure. On the post 3 is seated the end of an arm 9 of a semi-circular die-plate I0, and above said plate is located a punch-guiding plate II having a similar arm I2. In opposing depressions I3 formed in the arms S, I2 is lodged a fitting I4 comprising a pair of arms I5, Figs. 1, 3, 6, within said depressions, forming part of a hub I6 having a bore I1 that registers with bores I8 of the arms 9, I2, and between the arms I5 is formed a gap I9 which thereby creates the separating working gap between the die plate I0 and guide plate II. A shaft 2| journaled in bore 4 is provided with a narrower shank 22 that passes through bores Il, I8, and a nut 23 threads over said shank against the arm I2, by which means the plates I0, II are jointly pivoted to swing together about the axis 24 of shaft 2l, as viewed in Fig. 1. Screws 25 additionally secure the plates I0, ll

to the terminals of arms I5 of the fitting I4. By 55 unthreading the nut 23 and screws 25, the plates I0, II may be readily removed and individually separated from the fitting I4, for conveniently grinding, reconditioning, and repairing of these plates.

In the punch guiding plate II, along an arc 26 concentric with the axis 24, is formed a series of guide holes 2'I, ranging in size from a largest median one 21a and diminishing gradually to smallest openings 2lb, as illustrated, and each hole having a stamped indication of its size, as 1/8, nsf, etc. The plate I0 is provided with concen tric complementary die holes 28 for the holes 2l, and in the underside of the plate I I is formed a series of recessed holes 29 along an arc 30 which is concentric with the arc 26 and axis 24, providing a hole 29 for each complementary pair of holes 2`I, 28 which is radial thereto as well as with the axis 24, as shown in Fig` l. Each hole 2I is provided with a notched outlet 3I to the edge IIa of the die plate Il, the side 32 of said outlet being radial to the hole as well as to the axis 24, and thereby serving to conveniently align a marked centre-line upon work to be punched with the axis of any selected registering holes 21, 28. The combined plates I0, II may be therefore swung about the axis 24 of hinge shaft 3 to bring any one of the complementary holes 2l, 28 into registry with the clearance hole 6 in rest 5, which punch clearance hole is thus common to all of said die holes.

In the rest 5 is formed a vertical bore 33, the axis of which is in the arc of holes 29 and is radial to both the punch clearance hole 6 and the axis 24, and slidably within the bore 33 is a plunger 34 pressed upwardly by a spring 35 thereunder and having a pin 35 which is fittingly enterable into any one of the recessed holes 29, belonging to a complementary pair of holes 21, 28 that may be set in registry with the clearance hole 6. In a hub 31 forming part of the rest 5 is formed a horizontal bore 38 perpendicularly to the bore 33 having therein a rock shaft 39 terminating in an eccentric pin 40 that ts in an horizontal slot 4I formed in the plunger 34. A crank pin 42 secured to the shaft 39 protrudes through an arcuate slot 43 in hub 3l. When the plunger 34 normally interlocks its pin 36 with any one of the holes 29 by the tension of the spring 35 its slot 4I maintains the eccentric pin 40 in the position shown and thereby disposes the crank 42 vertically, Fig. 3. But when said crank is swung downwardly in the direction of the arrow, it rocks the shaft 39 and pin 40, and the latter actuates the plunger 34 downwardly and removes the pin 36 from the hole 29, thereby unlocking the die plate I for relocking any selected complementary die holes 21, 28 into registry with the clearance hole 6 of rest 5.

From the post 3 projects a wing 44 having a depressed seat 45 on which is slidable in the plane of the gay 20 of plates I0, Il a leg 46 of a squaring tool 41, the latter having a compleplane of the gap 20 of plates I0, ll a leg 46 of slidable parallelly to a line passing through axis 24 and centre of clearance hole 6, whereby the leg 48 is settable at or toward and away from said centre, the scale 49 is readable with relation to a mark 5|a on wing 44 having a precise distance from said centre, and a thumbscrew 52 threads into wing 44 against a clamp 53, bearing upon the leg 46, which secures the square in any set position. A slide 54 movable along leg 48 carries a clamp 55 embracing said leg and securable on the latter with a thumbscrew 56, whereby the working terminal edge 54a of said slide may be adjusted to any position toward and away from centre line 5|. The leg 48 is provided with an angular notch 51, whereby when the square 41 is reversedly mounted in the implement, as shown in Fig. 5, said notch is situated astride the centre line 5l.

When it is desired to utilize this implement for production work, its plates l0, I I may be swung about axis 24 to bring into registry'with the xed clearance hole 6 any one of selected cornplementary holes 21, 28, as may be required for a job, the crank 42 is manipulated for unlocking said plates and relocking them to the rest 5, and then the square 41 and gauge 54 are set in accordance with the situation of the hole to be punched in the sheet metal, plate, or other article constituting the job, and the latter is inserted in gap in guidance of said square and gauge. A corresponding punch 58 is then inserted into the selected hole 21, and the punch is struck with any hammer, foot press, or power press, as the work may require, the base l of the implement having been previously properly secured as may be required by the hammer or press. The implement may be readily and conveniently reset and relocked for any other selected holes 21, 28, its tools 41, 54 readjusted for the required job, and other punching operations may be then performed. On resetting the tool 41 to the position shown in Fig. 5, any disk or symmetrically formed piece 58a may be placed in its notch 51 and guided thereby for punching a hole 59 in precise location in such piece as the job may require.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch guiding plate thereover, a fitting between said plates comprising a hub having a pair of projecting arms one under the other with a gap between them, each of said plates having a recess for receiving one of said arms to provide a gap between said plates for the material to be punched, said plates together with said tting being swingably mounted about a common axle, said plates having a series of various sized complementarily registered die 'and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axle, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, and said plates and fitting being each disassemblable from each other and from said axle to permit reconditioning of said plates.

2. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being xed relatively to each other and providing a gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of various sized complementarily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, a guiding plate with an alignment edge for material located within said gap being slidably mounted toward and away from a tangent of said arc, and means to secure said material guiding plate at any selected position.

3. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being lixed relatively to each other and providing a gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of various sized complementarily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, a guiding plate with an alignment edge for material located within said gap being slidably mounted toward and away from a tangent of said arc, means to secure said material guiding plate at any selected position, and said guiding plate having a scale for its setting adjustments.

4. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being fixed relatively to each other and providing a. gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being u swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of Various sized complementarily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, a material guide in said gap slidably mounted toward and away from a tangent of said arc, means to secure said material guide at any selected position, said guide having a gauge perpendicular thereto and movable therealong, and means to secure said gauge at any selected position.

5. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being fixed relatively to each other and providing a gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of various sized complementarily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, a material guide in said gap slidably mounted toward and away from a tangent of said arc, means to secure said material guide at any selected position, said guide having a gauge perpendicular thereto and movable therealong. means to secure said gauge at any selected position, and said gauge having a scale for its setting adjustments.

6. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being iixed relatively to each other and providing a gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of various sized cornplementarily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined Working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, a material guide in said gap slidably mounted toward and away from a tangent of said arc, means to secure said material guide at any selected position, and said guide having means for embracing formed material.

'7. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being xed relatively to each other and providing a gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of various sized complementarily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, a material guide in said gap slidably mounted toward and away from a tangent of said arc, means to secure said material guide at any selected position. said guide having a gauge perpendicular thereto and movable therealong, means to secure said gauge at any selected position. and said guide having means for embracing formed material.

8. A universal die implement having the combination of a die plate, a punch-guiding plate thereover, said plates being xed relatively to each other and providing a gap between them for material to be punched, said plates being swingably mounted about a common axis, said plates having a series of various sized complementar-ily registered die and guide holes in an arc concentric with said axis, means for each of said complementary holes to register them with a predetermined working location centre and to lock said plates in said location centre, each of the guide holes in said punch-guiding plate having an outlet to and through the rim of said plate, and each of said outlets having an edge radially with said axis, for aligning a mark upon any work to be punched with said radially disposed edge.

JOHN A. HAGERSTROM. JOHN F. HAGERSTROM. 

